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akarta Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says he will expedite the construction of a giant sea wall off the north coast that may cost Rp 280 trillion (US$28.9 billion).

The wall is believed to be able to protect the capital from flooding.

“The project was initially scheduled to kick off in 2020 but I want the study to be accelerated and I am hoping that it will be completed [by the end of] this year, so we can start construction next year. Otherwise, [Jakarta] will be under water by 2030,” Jokowi said after a meeting with Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa in Jakarta on Wednesday. Jokowi added that the study was conducted by the Public Works Ministry and that construction would be carried out by the city administration.

He said the mega project might need the city budget and the state budget as well as the private sector, to help with the financing.

“I believe that many [companies] will be interested in joining the project,” he said of the current administration’s plan to expand the number of islands off the North Jakarta coast to 34, to connect the neighboring provinces of West Java and Banten.

Hatta said he agreed to speed up the study. “We will start the giant sea wall project and the expansion of Jakarta’s shores in the north earlier than scheduled. Our team will need a week to complete the first stage of the project’s preparation and we hope to break ground in 2014,” He said.